Worship isn’t enough. The Bible says that voluntary humility, severity to the body, acts of contrition, and such like may be nothing more than evidence of "will worship;" that is, serving one’s own interests (see Colossians 2:18-23). Furthermore, Jesus said that "not everyone who says unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of Heaven" (Matthew 7:21). The only people who will enter into the joy of God’s reward are those who keep His commandments.
Who Does God Think He Is?
Where in the Bible is Instrumental Music Forbidden?
Jerry Fite
Nowhere in the Bible does God explicitly forbid the use of instrumental music in worship. Some find implicit condemnation in Amos 6:1-5, where the prophet writes, "they invent for themselves instruments of music, like David." But upon a closer contextual examination, one must conclude that the self-indulgent and insensate idolator is condemned, not the instrument. Using for revelry what David had been commanded by God to use in worship (II Chronicles 29:25-26) kindled the wrath of Jehovah.
True Reverence for God
Gilbert Alexander
A man dressed in splendid robes, with chains of gold about his neck and a great ring of gold on his finger, stands before a multitude of people, an ornate miter upon his head. In one hand he holds a golden censer with burning incense in it, and in the other hand he holds a sprinkler with which to sprinkle water on the people. With great ceremony and solemnity he passes among the people, sprinkling and pronouncing blessings upon them. Is God impressed and pleased? NO! Is this a scene of true piety and reverence toward God? NO! Why? God has not told him to do any of these things. True reverence for God is shown in sincere, faithful obedience to God’s instruction in righteousness.
THE OLD TESTAMENT, AND NEW TESTAMENT CHRISTIANS
Joe R. Price
The Old Testament is a relevant part of God’s word, even though it is not the standard of authority by which we obtain reconciliation and life in Christ (Colosians 3:17; Galatians 3:23-27; Romans 7:4; II Corinthinas 3:14; Ephesians 2:14-18). To conclude that we cannot benefit from the Old Testament because it does not contain the law we live under and answer to is more than naive, it is unscriptural (Romans 15:4; II Timothy 3:15-16). Since Romans 15:4 assures us that “whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope,” join me in a brief study of some of the ways Christians benefit from the Old Testament.
The Importance of Listening
T. Sean Sullivan
How significant is listening? Listening is the fullness of hearing. It is possible to hear someone talk and not listen. In order to hear and listen, one must be paying attention. My wife becomes very annoyed with me when she speaks and I do not listen. Perhaps I am distracted by some other noise or voice or whatever I am currently involved with; I can hear her talking, but I do not listen. The lesson I learn is that my wife is like most everyone else—she does not like to repeat herself after she has said it once. I should give her my attention and listen.
THE HIDDEN BALL TRICK
Thomas A. Thornhill, Jr.
Most of you know that one of my “hobbies” is officiating sports. In an odd sort of way, I call it “stress relief” as I focus on the game I am officiating. I work in three sports, but the one I am most proficient (and experienced) in is baseball. This brings to a play that I want to discuss. It is one I have seen 3 times this season in the local city league I am officiating for. It goes something like this:
The Authority of the Church
Dan Gatlin
What is your attitude toward the church? For many sectarians a foundational belief is that the church has all authority. Whatever the church says to believe and practice, that is what must be done without question. This is the basic attitude of the vast majority of Roman Catholics. They are taught that the church “is not the child of the Bible, as many non-Catholics imagine, but its mother. She derives neither her existence nor her teaching authority from the New Testament. She had both before the New Testament was born: she secured her being, her teachings, her authority directly from Jesus Christ" (The Faith of Millions, John O’ Brien, p. 146). Their belief is that authority lies within the Catholic church and its traditions, not the New Testament. What is further implied in this statement is the idea that the New Testament is a product of the Catholic church. Devotion to the scriptures is secondary to devotion to the church.
Sola Scriptura Or Sola Papa?
Chuck Durham
Pope Benedict XVI released a Vatican document on July 10, 2007 that reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church as providing the only true path to salvation. The document claims that the Roman Catholic Church is the only true church on earth having "the fullness of the means of salvation." All other churches (excepting the Greek Orthodox Church) "cannot be called ‘churches’ in the proper sense" because they do not have apostolic succession — the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ’s original apostles (Bryan-College Station Eagle, July 11, 2007).
Silence of the Scriptures
Darrell Hamilton
I was asked recently to put together a short document detailing the authority of the silence of the scriptures. I don’t mind saying that this has been much harder to do than I thought it would be. It is also a LOT longer. Part of me sees the topic as fairly easy and straightforward. Another part says that I’ll be stepping on toes no matter how I present the material. As I asked a few people to review this, I did find that it is hard to satisfy everyone on a topic like this.
Prove All Things
Gary Dennis Jones
In feudal times, so the story goes, there were two rival kingdoms, one of which sent out a messenger to spy on the other.
When the spy got to this kingdom, the inhabitants were all a-flurry, being in the midst of forming an army to kill the rats that were infesting the area, spreading untold disease.
Should We be Picky?
Jeffrey W. Hamilton
Jesus’ condemnation of the Jews, especially the Pharisees and Sadducees, is well-known and well-documented in the Gospels. Many Christians are rightly concerned about avoiding the same traps that snared the Pharisees and Sadducees. However, sometimes my brethren go too far in their avoidance. When it is pointed out that we should do things one way and not another because of a passage in the Bible, I’m occasionally told that I’m being legalistic, just like the Pharisees. These people believe that the Pharisee’s failure was being too picky about the law. After all they emphasized the small, unimportant things like tithing spice and ignored the important matters such as love, justice and mercy. Therefore the question before us is, "Were the Pharisees too picky about the law?"
Parallel Worship (Children’s Church)
Bob Berard
Some elderships with announced good intentions have introduced the practice of excusing children and a few members from their congregation’s Sunday evening worship services for a special program called "children’s church." While the remainder of the church engages in a worship assembly wherein are conducted the same worship activities as in the Sunday morning assembly, the children and their teachers have parallel service or "children’s church" in a separate location. This practice is one which is without scriptural authorization and which violates the injunction of Hebrews 10:25 "not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together."
